Liege & Lief to be released in new SHM-SACD format by Universal Japan

[Linkster]

ATTENTION ALL AUDIOPHILES:

From Eastwind Imports:

Universal Japan is releasing the fourth set (11 titles) of SHM-SACDs in Japan on November 24, 2010. SHM-SACDs stand for Super High Material Super-Audio CDs. They are single-layer, stereo-only SACDs pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels for the ultimate audiophile experience. They are NOT hybrid SACDs. They do NOT contain any multi-channel tracks. They require an SACD player and will NOT play on regular CD players.
 
This series of limited-edition SHM-SACDs will use the most recent DSD masters available to Universal Japan, and in some cases, brand-new DSD masters are created from analog master tapes.
Based on our past experience, this limited-edition series will quickly sell out, and once they are out of print, they will be available only at premium prices. So we are offering our valued customers a chance to secure their copies by pre-ordering. Eastwind Import has no plan to stock them, except for a few copies each of the jazz titles.


Rock/Pops
UIGY-9048 FREE/FIRE AND WATER/ISLAND
UIGY-9049 TRAFFIC/JOHN BARLAYCORN MUST DIE/ISLAND
UIGY-9050 FAIRPORT CONVENTION/LIEGE & LIEF/ISLAND
UIGY-9051 STEWART, ROD/GASOLINE ALLEY/MERCURY
UIGY-9052 JOHN, ELTON/GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD/MERCURY

Shipping and handling charges for US customers
$5.00 for the first CD
+$1.95 for each additional CD
 
Shipping and handling charges for Non-US customers including Canada
$9.00 for the first CD
+$2.50 for each additional CD

 

[jaypeter (Peter)]

How much?

[Jim]

cant wait to get another copy to add to my original lp, the island masters re-issue lp, the 1st cd the island remsaters cd and the double cd
so much new music

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

They are single-layer, stereo-only SACDs pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels for the ultimate audiophile experience.

Unfortunately this board seems to censor out the word that summarises that sentence.

[jaypeter (Peter)]

They are single-layer, stereo-only SACDs pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels for the ultimate audiophile experience.

Unfortunately this board seems to censor out the word that summarises that sentence.

Brilliant! Thank goodness they are "stereo-only".

[Linkster]

Sorry I forgot to include the price from Eastwind imports, which is $50.  This is the fourth set so there arfe quite a few titles available.  I hope we can be assured that the disc will be sourced from the original masters.

[Linkster]

BTW, I thought those original Island Masters CD's sounded awful.  Nothing I've heard to date beats the sound of a decent analog set-up.  I love vinyl but I couldn't resist this issue as the vinyl is probably sourced from a second or third generation master.

[Andy]

er, no, thanks.  

[Nick]

I hope we can be assured that the disc will be sourced from the original masters.

You mean, all that fuss over the materials for a digital recording, while the source itself is uncertain?

[Linkster]

Sorry I misspoke.  Universal is using the first generation masters as a source.  Who knows what was used on previously issued versions?

BTW, how many of us have SACD capability?  Many Sony BD players have this feature.  I have the OPPO BDP-83SE Nuforce Edition universal player which I primarily use for blue ray video.

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

What is a first generation master?

For a start the original mixing tape will almost certainly have been rented, so will no longer exist. The master tape will have been a stereo mix of that, with all sorts of processing done to it, most likely recorded using Dolby A. That is the 'mastered' tape, from which dies are made to press albums. (Incidentally magnetic tape is actually more digital than analogue.)

The quality of 1970s master tapes is not even close to that of a CD. Also a CD well exceeds the specification of human hearing and a few theoretical limits for sound reproduction. SACD is the equivelent of watching old TV programmes on an HD TV, when your eyesight isn't that great either.

I think the clue to this exercise being totally pointless, is when they start saying that the type of plastic the disc is made of, can have an effect on the sound.

[Andy]

I actually get really pissed off with the constant (and as Colin says, pointless) rehashing / re-releasing /re-revenue-streaming of old recordings. There have been exceptions, the Beatles mono remasters being marginally worthwhile, but, having heard several SACD versions of old albums, the only one I ever found worthwhile (and kept) was the 5.1 SACD remix of Dark Side Of The Moon. And that plays on ordinary CD players as well.

[Jim]

its cocaine for people with ears so good they could eat them

[Nick Reg]

This takes me back over 40 years when a neighbour had a new sound system. The suppliers measured the room, checked the construction/materials of walls floors carpets curtains furniture shelving etc. All he ever played on it was James Last LPs.  

[Dan O.]

Good points about the whereabouts of the original masters, would they have raided the Universal/Island vaults for the tapes ? As Colin says, the tapes may have been rented/re-used. Surely only John Wood or Joe Boyd and the guy who did the most recent remasters know which tapes are as close to the source material as possible, and it's doubtful whether or not they would've been consulted for this edition, or the original tapes used.
Another point, of course, is that while Liege & Lief is a wonderful album, it's not the most sonically exciting in the world, so how many more details can possibly be brought to the surface with another remaster ? It might be suggested that the current edition of L&L doesn't really need to be improved upon, and is readily available at a decent and fair price.

[Nick Reg]

I actually get really pissed off with the constant (and as Colin says, pointless) rehashing / re-releasing /re-revenue-streaming of old recordings. There have been exceptions, the Beatles mono remasters being marginally worthwhile, but, having heard several SACD versions of old albums, the only one I ever found worthwhile (and kept) was the 5.1 SACD remix of Dark Side Of The Moon. And that plays on ordinary CD players as well.

A friend of mine bought the mono Beatles box from Ebay. It looked perfect, sounded perfect. It was a Chinese counterfeit and every CD was the stereo version.
(He got his money back.)

[Dan O.]

This takes me back over 40 years when a neighbour had a new sound system. The suppliers measured the room, checked the construction/materials of walls floors carpets curtains furniture shelving etc. All he ever played on it was James Last LPs.  

Oh dear ! I'm scared of James Last !

[Goaty]

(Incidentally magnetic tape is actually more digital than analogue.)

Can you expand on that Colin ?

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

Can you expand on that Colin ?

Bit off topic.
The tape is made up of magnetic particles which altough randomly orientated and positioned are discrete blocks of information, what you hear is the average (with all sorts of corrections to improve matters).

[StephenGiles]

I would like to hear Liege & Lief with drums re-recorded by DM now - that would be quite something